The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution Saturday threatening sanctions against Sudan unless it acts to rein in armed groups accused of violence in Darfur.

The vote was 11-0 with four abstentions, by China, Russia, Pakistan and Algeria, The AP reported.

The resolution strongly endorses the deployment of a beefed-up African Union force with an expanded monitoring mission that would aim at preventing attacks and the conflict from escalating. More than 50,000 people have already died and more than 1.2 million have fled their homes to escape the violence.

It also authorizes Secretary-General Kofi Annan to appoint an international commission to investigate reports of human rights violations and determine "whether or not acts of genocide have occurred." (menareport.com)